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The other finalist for the project was the town of Riverside, located about 15 miles south of Iowa City.

A motion to approve Pella as the site received 12 yes votes, three no votes and one abstention by the Earthpark board of directors, which met in Grinnell this morning in a meeting closed to the public.

Pella was the choice because of its exceptional site off of Lake Red Rock and its experience with tourism, Earthpark executive director David Oman said.

Factors affecting Riverside’s chances included uncertainty over local funding, lack of community support and a smaller proposed site, Oman said.

Riverside Mayor Bill Poch said Thursday he thought the questions raised by community leaders were the deciding factor in the Earthpark board’s decision.

"Riverside, as a whole, I’d say, is somewhat disappointed, but in some ways we may be relieved," he said.

Earthpark officials said Thursday it’s unclear when construction will begin, but the project is still slated for completion by 2010.

The Earthpark project includes include a 4-acre indoor rain forest, a 600,000-gallon aquarium, exterior prairie and wetland exhibits, and environmental galleries. Oman said Thursday the project would have $100 million a year in economic impact – a decrease from earlier estimates of $130 million in annual impact.

The project had previously been linked to Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Coralville, but negotiations with each of those communities broke down over various issues and questions.